Japan’s Naomi Osaka shocked the tennis world on Monday by withdrawing from the French Open after deciding to boycott post-match media duties, explaining she had been struggling from despair for nearly three years. Osaka mentioned in the build-up to the match that she wouldn’t attend the compulsory press conferences for gamers after matches, saying the questioning by journalists impacts her psychological well-being.
The four-time Grand Slam champion made good on her risk on Sunday when, after profitable her first spherical match, she didn’t maintain a press convention. She was fined $15,000 by the Roland Garros referee, and Grand Slam organisers later issued a strongly worded assertion warning of doable expulsion from the French Open and future majors if she failed to vary her stance.
On Monday, the world No. 2 determined to take issues into her personal palms to finish the stand-off. “This isn’t a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago,” the 23-year-old Osaka mentioned on Twitter. “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris. I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer.”
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
Osaka, one of the most important names in ladies’s sport, went on to say she had suffered from despair since 2018. “The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” she mentioned.
“Anyone that knows me knows I`m introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I`m often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety.”
The French Tennis Federation (FFT), organisers of the match, referred to as her withdrawal ‘unfortunate’. Reading from a ready assertion at a information convention, FFT president Gilles Moretton mentioned: “We are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka… we wish her the best and quickest possible recovery, and we look forward to having Naomi at our tournament next year.” He added that the main tennis our bodies have been dedicated to athletes’ well-being and enhancing their match expertise, together with their interplay with the media.
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) mentioned psychological well being was one of the best priorities of the organisation. “We remain here to support and assist Naomi in any way possible and we hope to see her back on the court soon,” it mentioned in a press release.
After beating Serena Williams to assert her first main on the 2018 US Open, Osaka was booed by the group throughout the presentation ceremony as her victory was overshadowed by the American’s outburst following a row with the umpire.
American Sofia Kenin, who gained the Australian Open and completed runner-up at Roland Garros final 12 months, mentioned coping with the media calls for of elite tennis was ‘definitely not easy’ however it’s what gamers ‘signed up for’.
“There’s expectations from the outside, sponsors and everyone. You just have to somehow manage it. You have to have a good team around you who support you,” the American mentioned.
Osaka, who in response to sports activities enterprise web site Sportico earned $55.2 million over the previous 12 months, added that she would take a while away from tennis and hoped later to fulfill the game`s organisers to enhance the system.
“I wrote privately to the tournament apologising and saying that I would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament as the slams are intense,” Osaka mentioned.
“I’m gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right, I really want to work with the tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.”
(with Reuters inputs)
